Tag: Interview

Jessa has spent her life dreaming of other worlds and writing down stories more interesting than her own, until the day her favorite character, Finn, suddenly shows up and invites her out for coffee. After the requisite nervous breakdown, Jessa learns that she and Finn are Travelers, born with the ability to slide through reflections and dreams into alternate realities. But it’s not all steampunk pirates and fantasy lifestyles…Jessa is dying over and over again, in every reality, and Finn is determined that this time, he’s going to stop it… this Jessa is going to live.

I am so excited that L.E. DeLano agreed to stop by our little blog! She is a debut author of Traveler you can find my review here. Spoiler alert it was FANTASTIC! Without our further ado L.E DeLano!

Where did you get the inspiration for your book?

When I was eight we were living in England, and I watched an old version of “Alice Through The Looking Glass” on TV (it was the 1974 version, which was really creepy). I happened to pass a mirror afterward and thought it would be cool if there was another ‘me’ on the other side. I stared at my reflection for a long time until – I swear to you – I saw the other me blink. It scared me a lot to the point that I still get a creepy feeling if I catch my reflection out of the corner of my eye.

What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?

Trying to think like a teenage guy is hard. Really hard. At the same time, you don’t want to write your hero as an average teenage guy, either. He’s got to rise above and be more, either from the outset or as the story grows, and it needs to feel organic. It’s a real balancing act.

You have some great diversity going in Traveler which I for one LOVED! We have Danny having autism, Ben being Hawaiian, and one of the Jessa’s is deaf. How important do you think it is in YA that we have diversity in our books?

It’s incredibly important! And I think we’re really coming into a time where diversity is being celebrated in all sorts of literature and in all sorts of ways. We’re moving in the right direction, but we still need more voices in those pages.

Who was your favorite character to write? What about your least favorite?

Pirate Finn was just oodles of fun. Didn’t really have a character I disliked writing.

Was it difficult to write the alternate realities?

Oh, that was the fun part! Think of it – unlimited worlds at your fingertips, and they can be just a little different, or wildly off. In addition, Jessa (and Finn) are a little different in each reality, too. How fun is that? I suppose the difficulty is in reigning yourself in. I had one reality early on where she was going to be part of a traveling circus as a fire-eating high-wire artist! Loads of fun, but it really didn’t advance the story so it got cut.

If it was ever made into a movie who would you want for your main characters?

I think Chloe Grace Moretz would be a terrific Jessa. Ben would be Boo-Boo Stewart. Finn’s a little harder. I see Evan Peters or maybe Bob Morely (from ‘The 100’).

NOW after that ending you left us on the cliff dangling by our little pinky fingers I have to ask I know you are currently working on Dreamer which is the sequel can you give us a little tease?

I am definitely working on Dreamer. And one of the things you’ll get to read is a story Jessa is writing, based on a memory of her steampunk self. It’s the day that the other Jessa met pirate Finn – their origin story. Here’s a tease:

“Did I startle you, love?”

“This is a private beach,” she replied, trying to sound firm, but failing as his eyes stayed locked with hers. “What are you doing here?”

“It’s a devilish hot day,” he said with a shrug. “This is the only shade on the beach. It’s a good thing you didn’t arrive ten minutes sooner – you’d surely have had your delicate sensibilities offended.”

She felt her spine stiffen. “I’m not delicate.”

“No,” he said, studying her a moment. “I can see that you’re not.”

“You have a name?”

“Captain Finn Gallagher,” he said, getting up from his seat. He swept her a courtly bow.

“Have we met, Mr. Gallagher?” She stared at him, trying to place him, for he seemed familiar somehow, despite his lack of a shirt.

“Now that,” he said, pointing his apple at her, “Is a question, and a good one.” He took one last bite of the fruit before pitching it off into the sand.

“You have an accent,” she said. “Irish?”

“Aye. I’ve taken up a new route – my ship is the fastest solar schooner in port.”

“The tall one? With the tree painted on the mainsail?”

“That’s the one,” he said, grinning. She couldn’t seem to stop staring at the dimple that appeared on one side, just above the curve of his lip.

“It’s a fine ship.” She turned her head to look out to the sea. “I would imagine you’ve had many adventures, with a ship like that.”

“I have,” he agreed, stepping to the edge of the beach and offering a hand to assist her out of the water. “I’ve had a fair few without it, as well. Would you like to hear about them?”

She couldn’t stop the excitement that leapt into her eyes. “I would. I want to hear them all.” She reached her hand out as she drew closer, and he grasped it gently, placing a light kiss on the backs of her fingers. He didn’t let it go.

“Jessa.” He finished. And something inside her shifted at the familiarity of her name on his lips.

Big thank you to L.E. DeLano for taking time to do this interview! THAT TEASER swoon much? I am so ready for book two! I so pictured BooBoo Stewart as well and now Evan Peters MY HEART! Make sure you guy’s check out Traveler it is so worth it!

XOXO Taylor

About L.E. DeLano

L.E. DeLano is a novelist, blogger and autism advocate with a “useless” Theatre degree that has opened doors for her in numerous ways. Though mostly raised in New Mexico, she now calls Pennsylvania home. When she’s not writing, which is almost never, she’s binge-watching Netflix and trying her best not to be an unwitting pawn her cat’s quest for world domination.